Remembering 9/11, a decade later

As the nation marks the 10th commemoration of the Sept. 11 attacks, Saipan Tribune talks to several people about their thoughts on 9/11.

“I was just in the U.S. about a week before the 9/11 events took place. It was pretty scary. I can’t believe that something like that would happen. It brought a lot of concern for the safety of the Americans throughout the world. People should learn to be more alert and cautious to prevent it from happening once more. Let us be mindful of what’s going on around us. If you see something out of the ordinary, we should report it. Vigilance is highly encouraged following the Sept. 11 events. The victims and the soldiers that fight for freedom should also be remembered. We should pray for them. Prayers don’t end in one day. Let’s continue to pray for them and for their families. Let’s pray that it wouldn’t happen again.”
[B]DONALD G. FLORES, Saipan mayor[/B]

“To have it happen in our nation and watch it all in the news, my reaction was of disbelief and shock. The 9/11 attacks set the stage for U.S. soldiers to play an active role in the security of our nation. I immediately sensed fear because my son, who is a reservist, went to the Army Reserve Office immediately after finding out about 9/11. I had to put on hold my feelings and emotions as a mother. I had to remember why he joined the Reserve in the first place, which is to serve his country.”
[B]FRANCES M. SABLAN, Retired educator[/B]

“I was working as a fourth grade teacher at William S. Reyes Elementary School at the time of the 9/11 attacks. I got up and saw it on television and the shock was just horrific and unbelievable. For a lot of the children in the CNMI who have never been to a big city, watching the Twin Towers crumble to the ground was like ‘special effects’ in a movie. It was hard for me to talk to my friends in the mainland because we had to wait for lines to get through. Later that summer, I visited Red Bank in New Jersey where I found out that there were six homes in one street that lost the men of their households. The events of 9/11, which heightened fear and precaution, also curtailed travel for all people. The lesson that should have been learned is trying to promote peace instead of violence. We’re still at war; the war against terror has not abated. But we should remember it with hope for the future. There’s no going back. We should try and prevent anything like that from every happening again with diplomacy and understanding.”
[B]SUSAN FISHMAN-TUDOR, Park ranger[/B]

“I found it hard to believe and very unforgivable when I heard about the 9/11 attacks. Sept. 11 impacted most, if not all people—just like family—because of the manner it happened and the number of human casualties. Ten years since 9/11, the horrific tragedy still remains in people’s minds. Sept. 11 taught us all how fragile life is. The tragic event demonstrated that different nationalities can become one to help and comfort each other and continue a peaceful future. These lessons should not be forgotten.”
[B]JAMES ULLOA, Department of Labor staff[/B]

“I watched on television the footage of the 9/11 attacks. It didn’t seem real that something of that nature would happen in our country. If there’s one thing the tragic event reminded this powerful nation, it’s overconfidence. It’s a wakeup call for us all. We should always be prepared and expect the unexpected. It’s a super tragedy for the U.S. itself because it’s so-called freedom was breached. We should always thank God for our democracy and freedom. As members of the Catholic and Christian faith, let us say our prayers and hope that it will heal over time.”
[B]LUIS I. CAMACHO SR., Community leader[/B]

“I was a senior at Marianas High School when the 9/11 attacks occurred. My grandmother called me around 6am telling me that the U.S. was under attack, prompting me to check the news. I went to school and our English teacher discussed what happened in class and we were all sad about it. For me, the 9/11 attacks changed the whole outlook of our safety and security, how much we take for granted our freedom and those that protect and fight for it. We should always remember to keep them in our prayers, whether in big ceremonies or at home. We should be grateful to them for giving us and our children a safe and better future.”
[B]VINYCIA SEMAN, executive secretary[/B]

“I had just started working at the Medsearch ward of CHC when it happened. There was a huge commotion at the waiting area where the TV was at. We didn’t believe that act of terrorism at first. As we watched the footage, it felt like watching a scene from an action movie. The 9/11 events served as a life lesson because we take life for granted. We’ve got to slow down, take time, give thanks, and learn how to appreciate life more. People, however, should not live in fear because of the tragedy. Instead, people should be more proactive and talk about the event as a life lesson. We should look at the incident in a different perspective, like a half-full glass and not half-empty. We can’t keep dwelling in the past but we could take that lesson and move forward, hoping it would bring us more awareness and help build us as a community and as a nation.”
[B]TRINA LEE SABLAN, Public Health nurse[/B]

“I would normally be asleep around the time the 9/11 attacks occurred because it’s early morning in the CNMI. But for some reason, I just couldn’t sleep and I was watching CNN at that time. I actually watched the second plane hit the building. I was horrified, just like everyone who watched that event. Everything that we knew to be true, everything we knew about safety and our loved ones could be turned just like that. If there’s any lesson, it’s about democracy and people who live in a free country or America take for granted people’s ability to express themselves freely whether it’s religion or politics. Most of the world, you can’t do that freely. I think that this is a wakeup call for people all around the world that we need to all stand up for civil rights and human rights, something that the Red Cross has been doing for a very long time.”
[B]JOHN HIRSH, American Red Cross NMI Chapter director[/B]